Editorial: Gov. Paterson must be firm on budget cuts

Gov. David Paterson should not be swayed by special interests who want him to restore proposed budget cuts using federal stimulus dollars.

Gov. David Paterson should not be swayed by special interests who want him to restore proposed budget cuts using federal stimulus dollars.

In fact, he should make deeper cuts to end the culture of overspending that got us into this mess in the first place.

New York stands to get $24.6 billion from President Obama’s stimulus package. But labor unions say the hefty influx should be pumped back into Paterson’s budget to prevent inevitable layoffs and what they claim would be poor service that would result from proposed cuts. They suggest the federal money be directly applied to the budget, making state deficits over the next two years manageable and almost routine.

They don’t say what happens after that — when the federal dollars run out. That’s because union leaders aren’t looking out for the best interests of the people of New York state. They’re looking out for themselves. Labor leaders and other lobbyists swing some heavy hammers with the politicians in Albany, whose loyalties must remain with the people they represent — the voters who elected them. To do otherwise is to shirk responsibility.

The federal stimulus money is not a windfall. New York’s share should be used as Paterson already has stated — for education, infrastructure projects and direct benefits to low-income and unemployed New Yorkers who are being hit especially hard by the recession. It’s not an excuse to restore spending cuts.

Paterson notes that while the stimulus aid could cover most of the $30 billion in deficits projected for the next two fiscal years, if spending isn’t reduced, state deficits could total $38 billion between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 fiscal years. That would force much deeper cuts and higher taxes.

In fact, cuts need to go deeper now. Paterson’s proposed $121.1 billion budget still increases spending 1.1 percent, and even though that’s the lowest level of growth since 1996-97, it’s still more than New Yorkers can afford. Paterson’s plan avoids the deeper cuts necessary by creating a new revenue stream with the addition of 88 new taxes and fees on everything from non-diet soda and haircuts to movies and music, gasoline, driver’s licenses, registration fees and clothing.

That squeezes the people who can least afford it. Instead of kowtowing to unions, Paterson and other state leaders need to challenge unions to re-negotiate lucrative contracts that have helped drain the public pocketbook.

And above all, they certainly shouldn’t fork over federal stimulus money to make up for spending cuts that should have been made budgets ago.

GOVERNOR MUST SET EXAMPLE

If Gov. Paterson wants us to believe that he’s a tough fiscal manager, he needs to set a better example himself.

The governor this week was rightfully chastised by public employee unions for handing out salary increases to his inner circle while asking union members to give up their raises to avoid layoffs. Paterson justified his action by arguing that the $250,000 in salary increases spread among some staff members was part of a net cut in executive chamber pay because he eliminated some jobs and cut executive branch spending 10 percent overall.

That argument doesn’t wash. First, it is outrageous that Paterson would be handing out raises to well-paid staffers when so many people across the state are out of work. He should be ashamed.

Furthermore, such callous disregard for taxpayers weakens his position at the bargaining table, and he certainly cannot expect anyone to take him seriously if he’s going to pick and choose who gets a pay raise and who doesn’t. Wage freezes need to be across the board — and that includes the governor’s office.